Commercially produced aerodynamic pickup bed cap

[Rokeby]

Sweet,'lid, clean installation, well done.

All you need now are some rear wheel skirts for the high-zoot look,
and maybe 1 or 2 MPGs.

[Christ]

Bondo -

That truck looks great, man.

[bluetwo]

Is there anything new with the areo bed cap? I havne't been here in a little bit and I was just curious.

[electricman]

Hey Brett aka Bondo, one thing I noticed - with the wedge caps, aerocaps, and aerolids, we have less drag, but also - less power required to simply drive and so - less heat in the engine: Stock Temp Gauge in my 2008 Dakota with the Aerocap of mine seems to never make it up to the 50% Temp Mark, usually running at about 35 - 40% of Max, no matter the Outside Air Temperature (OAT)!

So - it would seem to me that the required co-related mod would be the front grills intake airflow to be blocked, or cleaned up and reduced, so that the heat engine - actually heats up better! Less cooling drag = leass total drag = warmer running engine, and a cold engine at idle in my pickup runs about 4.2 Litres of fuel per hour (per the ScanGauge) versus about 1.9 LPH or even 1.7 LPH when idling warm (In neutral, with no tranny load, stopped at lights).

I am sure that if we started with the front airflow mod first - and then added the aerocaps of choice - that to get the temps back up to the 50% or mid-point would then require an update on the grill block, and adding a flat belly pan - further reducing drag would again require less power and need the front grill block updated once again. Same for rear wheel pizza covers or smooth hubcaps and the step up of rear wheel skirts.
Robert.

[Mandilon]

Originally Posted by WaxyChicken

Google for "Angel Investors" these are rich people with money and nothing to spend it on. They will listen to proposels from various new inventors and small business owners and consider putting up the front money for projects.

I know some in my area. I'm saving their contact info incase i ever actually finish one of my inventions.

This is what i mean by the "Wife Test".

Rather than saying the wife said 'No' you say "I had a funding plan, but it failed the 'wife test'. "

I heard one called 'the testicle test.'

Anyone else hear about that one?

I'll just Google it whenever I get the time.

Don't give up Brett! You're ON the RIGHT track!

God Bless those with (and without) creativity!

[bondo]

Thanks Rokeby and Christ for the compliments. Ford had changed the 2009 only slightly by extending the bed by one inch and raising the cab height by one inch. This made the retooling a lot easier than it might have been. Also, alot of the design elements of the 2004-2008 model F-150 were carried over into the 2009.

Engine operating temperature is definitley something to consider electricman. The cooling systems are tuned to allow the engine to operate at optimum BTU's. I have not noticed my truck running cooler but I am going to start paying attention to that. If the air intake can be blocked off some that would help reduce drag further. It is a good point that with each aero modification attention should be paid to any change in the cooling system. I think maybe as far South as we are in Arkansas our engines tend to run on the warm side anyway.

Nothing new to report bluetwo except that I have been contacted by a possible investor. It appears he made his money by winning the lottery. Good for him to be possibly willing to invest in manufacturing. At this point, I can use a good partner with a good set of hands who is willing to help me build the lids as much as I need capital. To lift the lid on and off the truck by myself to check fit and finish is getting hard on my 52 year old back. Not going to give up though Mandilon.

I'll be posting my fuel log results on the new Aerolid on my 2009 F-150.

Bondo

[Mandilon]

I have not noticed my truck running cooler but I am going to start paying attention to that.

This test vehicle ran cooler after this 'grill block.'

FoMoCo has incorporated a grill block on some test models (maybe they're allready in production vehicles).

Bondo, there's this Mel Francis out east that's an expert fiberglass designer and production expert that I lost track of.

I worked for him in El Rio/Oxnard California before he headed east. I lost his email. If anyone knows him or has a way of locating him let me know. I have a ton of fiberglass projects on the shelves and I need his help.

Bondo, I travel to east Texas (Austin, Dallas and Houston) on occassion. Maybe I'll pay U a visit since you're not too far from Dallas.

Does anyone have that drawing of a frog choking a snake that trying to gobble him up? The caption reads "Never give up!"

B carefull of snakes! (individuals that try to discourage U!)

[fishaholic]

[QUOTE=GoodOak;121775]
The first thing it seems everyone there does is jack the truck up 3" and get bigger, burlier tires.



I don't think these are the people that Bondo wants to target anyway. Every inch of lift throws the FE out the door. For the price of 1 F150 you could buy 2 Ford Focus That each get double the mileage.
I drive my Focus because of the FE, If I could get my F150 to get 25 MPG I would leave the Focus home once in a while.

FYI: In 2003 I traded my 97' F150, 2WD, 4.2 v6, 5-Spd Manual w/OD averaged 17 MPG. Got a 2003 F150, 4x4, 5.4 V8, Auto w/OD averaged 17 MPG. I gained more power and off-road ability for the same fuel cost.

[bondo]

Today was a good day for a road test. The winds were around 5 mph out of the ENE. The temperature was around 72 degrees. So, I drove to Texarkana, Arkansas and back, from Little Rock, a distance of 267.8 miles.

The website Fuel Economy rates my 2009 F-150 with the 4.6 liter two wheel drive at 20 mpg for highway travel. Today I burnt 11.1 gallons of gas to Texarkana and back or 24.1 mpg! I am stoked!

Some good things are developing on getting the aerodynamic cover to market. Todays road test, with the Aerolid gaining a 20% increase in the fuel efficiency of my truck, will help greatly.

Yeah fishaholic I'd love to get 25 mpg but I am not complaining about 24.1 mpg for a full size pickup truck with a V-8 engine. Had to take a picture of my truck after I parked it at the end of the road test.

Thanks to all,

Bondo

[Christ]

I want to see 30 consistently from a full-size pickup, without extreme driving techniques. I mean simple stuff like slowing down, not starting the vehicle until you're ready to move. Beyond that, I want to see it with aero and efficiency mods, and still be able to use it for a truck if/when necessary.

Bondo, I love what you're doing here. Keep it up!